By The Iowa Statesman
Fridays in the Iowa House of Representatives are short and sweet. Most legislators, in both chambers, use the day as a “traveling day” to return to their districts for the weekend to meet with constituents and to host legislative forums. But, when there is business to be handled in the well — typically bills adopted by the Senate on Thursday after the House had already recessed — there remains work to be done.
This video (click here) shows how the House quickly deals with bills messaged from the Senate, or introduced out of committee. The morning prayer and Pledge of Allegiance are offered by Speaker Page Aaron Britt of Le Mars. State Rep. Chris Hagenow (R-Windsor Heights) serves as temporary chair. Chief Clerk Carmine Boal reads the titles of the new bills introduced to the chamber.
State Rep. Dawn Pettengill (R-Mount Auburn) serves in the capacity of temporary House Majority Leader for the sole purpose of asking for unanimous consent to adjourn until Monday afternoon. The House and Senate typically reconvene after the weekend at 1 p.m. each Monday during the session.
Among the new bills introduced were:
• House File 613 — an act to make the Thursday and Friday of the Iowa State Wrestling Tournament school holidays for all school districts in Iowa.
• House File 614 — an act to permit the sale, possession, and use of consumer fireworks in Iowa.
• House File 615 — an act to amend Iowa Code as it relates to the establishment, operation, and dissolution of rural improvement zones under Iowa Code 357H.
• House File 616 — an act to amend Iowa Code as it relates to property tax credits and assessment, by modifying filing deadline provisions, modifying provisions relating to property assessment notices and equalization order notices, and by modifying provisions relating to property assessment protests and assessor informal reviews.
• House File 617 — an act to allow for special vehicle registration plates displaying a decal designed and issued by a nonprofit organization.
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